


Grizzly

by oceleagle



Series: The Mythical ABCs [7]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Adorable, Camping, Comfort, Cute, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Help, Humor, Link being brain dead, M/M, Protectiveness, and Rhett saving him, grizzly bear - Freeform, married au, protective husbands, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 15:24:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17869790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oceleagle/pseuds/oceleagle
Summary: An encounter while camping leaves Rhett and Link in shock, but also in fits of laughter...?





	Grizzly

       Camping is a favorite pastime. Even from their youth, on the banks of the Cape Fear River, they’ve enjoyed being outside and becoming one with Mother Nature. There’s nothing like lying out in the night air under a blanket of stars, especially when in the presence of someone you love.

 

       This time will be different, though. They've decided to take an entire week, dedicate it to a rekindling of sorts, and cut themselves off from civilization for awhile. This time, they'll be camping under the vast wonder that is the wide, open Montana sky. The bags are packed up at the foot of the bed, ready and willing to be lunged into the back of the truck in the morning. The two men barely sleep a wink that night in anticipation of the adventure ahead of them.

 

* * *

 

       It's the second day of the trip, and they've only argued once, which is a miracle within itself. Everything is unpacked, they've gone on a tour of the Little Bighorn Battlefield, and had a picnic lunch on the banks of the Little Bighorn River. Montana has been nothing if not welcoming thus far.

 

       Back at the campsite, tired and hungry, they decide to call it a day. The two eat in silence, watching in awe as the sun slowly dips below the horizon beyond. The night air is cold and unforgiving, prompting Link to take his husband's hand and tug him gently toward their tent.

 

* * *

 

       The digital numbers on his watch read out **2:28 a.m.** And what the heck was that noise? Link turns to see Rhett is still snoring lightly and smiles contentedly at the sight. The smile soon fades, though, as he hears the sound again. It's a rustling noise, but it's too loud to be a small animal. Surely it isn't a...

 

       He shoots up to a seated position, jerking the shared blanket off the both of them, eyes widening in fear. It _could_ be. It could very well be a _bear_. And what if it is? What is he going to do? He thinks for a second to wake Rhett up, but the other man looks so peaceful, having not moved a muscle since Link's waking.

 

       Slowly, so as not to wake his husband or startle whatever is out there, Link begins unzipping the tent's door. His mind is in overdrive, not thinking clearly, not even remembering to put on his glasses. The man gingerly crawls out the opening, eyes nervously scanning his surroundings. At first he doesn't see anything. Maybe he'd dreamed it. Or maybe his ears were playing tricks on him. Lord knows how apprehensive he gets, especially in new territory...

 

       But the noise comes again, and then he sees _it_...

 

**"What the crap...?"** Link whispers to himself, body freezing in place as the grizzly bear comes into full view. **"Ohhhh no..."**

 

       The bear is headed for their supplies. What does he do? What is the _right thing_ to do?

 

       But all logic has left his mind the second the grizzly starts shuffling through their stuff. The food is in there. Everything they need is in there. He has to do _something_!

 

       The bear hasn't noticed his presence yet, and he ignorantly thinks he can prevent it from seeing him. Link grabs a nearby stick and hurls it toward the massive creature. The act gets the attention of the grizzly, and it lets loose a reverberating growl as it senses a threat is close.

 

       It’s inevitable at this point. Rhett is going to wake up and find him out here confronting a damn bear like an idiot. Great. He’ll never live this one down...

 

       Then the animal appears to notice the tent. It abandons their supplies and begins making its way toward the open door.

 

**_“No, no, no, no, no!”_** Link tries desperately to think rationally about what he should do in this situation. Nothing. There’s nothing. All he can think to do is shout and make a spectacle of himself to divert the bear’s attention.

 

**"Get away from there!"** He's practically screaming now, tossing whatever his hands pick up in the bear's direction. It works, and the beast turns toward Link, giving a slight tilt of its head as it regards him.

 

       The look on the bear's face says it all... _’So, you're the bitch who threw the stick at me...’_

 

       That's when the real terror sets in. The grizzly begins moving toward him, sniffing the air and popping its jaw - an obvious sign it feels threatened.

 

**"Ah, crap..."** Link whispers into the chilly air. **_"Crap, crap, crap..."_** He picks up a rock this time and chunks it toward the bear. It lands at the creature's feet, causing it to huff loudly. It starts moving again, this time more quickly, as if it's about to charge him.

 

**_"RHETT!!"_** He screams at the top of his lungs, shrill voice reverberating off the surrounding trees. He's going to die. He's going to _freaking die_ from being a complete moron. Why did he ever think it was a good idea to leave the tent in the first place?! He can see the headlines now...

 

_'Local internet sensation, Link Neal, dies after trying to ward off a grizzly bear in Montana.'_

 

       There's no time to think. No time to run (which, by the way, would be even more stupid than what he's already done). He's seconds away from screaming again, the bear rapidly closing in on him. Link cowers down in fear, awaiting his untimely demise, when he hears it. The sound of an aerosol can being sprayed into the air.

 

       That's when he realizes it. _Stupid, stupid, stupid..._ They'd put the damn bear spray in the tent just in case... How could he have forgotten that? Rhett is clearly the smarter one in this situation, and Link knows he will never hear the end of it.

 

       Suddenly, he hears the stampeding of feet leaving the campsite, and finally looks up to see his husband rushing toward him.

 

**"Link, _what the hell_ , man?! What are you doing out here?!"** Rhett grabs him by the arms and lifts him up to a standing position. Immediately, the taller man recognizes the panic etched into his partner's features, and he wraps strong arms around him, pulling him into his chest. They stay like that for several minutes as the shock of the situation wears off.

 

       Finally, Link is the first to pull away, clearly ashamed of his actions. He refuses to meet Rhett's eyes as he explains the events that led up to the moment of his rescue.

 

**"I forgot the spray..."** He admits in the end, eventually looking up when he feels a half-hearted shove to his right shoulder. The smirk on his husband's face draws an embarrassed smile to his lips.

 

**"I was just trying to _protect_ you..."**

 

       The tiny statement is met with a round of boisterous laughter. The kind where Rhett has to grasp at his stomach because the muscles ache. It results in a pout from Link, though the pucker of his lips gives away that he's trying not to laugh as well.

 

       The younger man lightly slaps his partner on the arm before feigning anger and stomping toward the tent.

 

       Rhett, still laughing, reaches both arms toward him, **"Come back, baby! _Let me protect you!_ "**

 

       That's all it takes for Link himself to fall into a fit of high-pitched giggles as he turns back toward Rhett. **"Shut up, or I'll use the pepper spray on you!"**

 

       Rhett gasps in pretend shock, hand flying to his chest. **"So you** _ **do**_ **know how to use it... just not for its intended purpose."**

 

       Link slaps at his husband again, but this time Rhett pulls him in for a kiss, chuckling lowly as their lips meet. It's a quick _'I'm glad you're okay'_ kiss, and then it's over. Rhett turns Link's body and directs him back to the tent with a light tap on his rear.

 

**"Back to bed, you dork. And don't you _ever_ pull anything like that again!"**

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt given to me by @thisiskate on tumblr!


End file.
